Rx400H Wheels

[lurch]

My 2006 RX400h was showing slight corrosion on the wheels so i took it to my local lexus dealer (Norwich) and pointed this out, they told me this was out of warranty and that they were not sure how i would get on trying to get new wheels. Any way they took some photo's and contacted lexus for me. I have just been told today that they will replace 3 of the wheels F.O.C. and the fourth do me a good price to buy from them. To be fair 1 wheel was pretty good still so they have given me a price of £165.00 +vat for the fourth wheel. So have told them to get that on order as far cheaper than me getting all four refirbed. Have sorted four new tyres today also for £416.00 lexus wanted £586.00. I think being that my car was out of warranty this is excellent service from lexus even though they know their wheels aren't great but i'm well pleased with this.

Phil. :D

[NickS]

Very good, I agree. Have you owned yours from new?

I had all five replaced on my RX 300 when it was about 3 years old, having bought it at 2.5 years old with the normal 12 month Lexus used warranty. I thought they might have supplied refurbished ones but they looked brand new to me.

What is still worrying is that 3 years later, one or two are bubbling through again. The worst one was in the spare wheel well all along! There was never any curbing; it is as though the core material is corroding and pushing the paint off. My roof rail ends were replaced too and they are bubbling again.

What I can't understand is given how good the rest of the car seems to be, why Lexus seem unable to make durable alloys. I had a 2003 Audi TT from almost new and there wasn't a mark on the wheels when I sold it earlier this year. So it isn't impossible, and I don't buy the argument about wet weather in England!

[Cymro]

There are two puzzling elements to this long-standing saga of the corroding wheels: why does it happen? And - more important - why on earth doesn't Lexus do anything about it? The problem has been around for at least 7 years, and continues.

[lurch]

Very good, I agree. Have you owned yours from new?

I had all five replaced on my RX 300 when it was about 3 years old, having bought it at 2.5 years old with the normal 12 month Lexus used warranty. I thought they might have supplied refurbished ones but they looked brand new to me.

What is still worrying is that 3 years later, one or two are bubbling through again. The worst one was in the spare wheel well all along! There was never any curbing; it is as though the core material is corroding and pushing the paint off. My roof rail ends were replaced too and they are bubbling again.

What I can't understand is given how good the rest of the car seems to be, why Lexus seem unable to make durable alloys. I had a 2003 Audi TT from almost new and there wasn't a mark on the wheels when I sold it earlier this year. So it isn't impossible, and I don't buy the argument about wet weather in England!

Hi mate, no bought the car used back in march 2010 from lexus hatfield, got 12 months used lexus warranty but that dosen't cover things like corrosion on wheels so thats why i was pleased as to the response i got from lexus. Just been told from my mate to let lexus only have 3 wheels as the fourth will be mine, so keep as spare just in case i curb one. Never thought but as they only replacing three then three will be sent back!!

Phil.

[lurch]

Hi All, had all 5 wheels changed today at Lexus Norwich, also had my new tyres fitted which i got for £104.00 each. The tyres which are Hankook Ventus ST are superb, nice and quiet and look good too. I removed the wheels when i got home and covered them in WHEEL GUARD which is a wax which protects the wheel against brake dust and hopefully corrosion and you leave it on for 10-15 mins and buff of to a superb shine. The wheels were actually refurbed wheels which i think will last longer than new Lexus ones and come as exchange units, so as my RX was 4 years old and out of warranty, for lexus to replace them i think was outstanding, not many other Manufactures would do that. Like i said before they agreed to replace 4 free of charge but i had to pay £100.00 + vat for the 5th as that was not deemed bad enough which it wasn't to be fair. So my advice to anyone who's wheels are showing signs of corrosion regardless if under warranty or not, it pays to ask your dealer to speak to Lexus.

Phil.

[3 MSF]

Guys,

Toyota 'unofficially' told me that for some reason they only have the 'corrosion issue' in the UK, so to improve the alloys / their coating system wouldn't be cost effective in a global marketplace, so they're happy to incur the relatively incidental costs of yours and mine without quibble within their warranty period, and will most likely be favourable from a goodwill standpoint once your out of it too :winky:

- Mark.

[alitech]

I have tried this and Lexus are not budging. They came back and said this wont be honored because of the age of the vehicle and the fact that one of the service stamps was not lexus.

[tbledsoe]

I bought my RX400h in July 2011; less than 3 years old. It was still under manufacturer's warranty. I pointed out the corrosion on the wheels. I was offered a refurb; could not wait 3-4 days--I did not have a car. Offered wheels from another RX400; accepted, although they were not as bad, but still minor corrosion.

The corrosion got worse. I asked another Lexus dealer what could be done. He approached Lexus UK; Lexus said they would replace 2 wheels--because I was the second owner and it was outside the 3-year manufacturer's warranty. I reapproached the dealer I bought it from; the manager stated that he could not approach Lexus UK at the time of purchase, as I had just bought the vehicle. But, had I asked about the wheels a little later, and before the manufacturer's warranty expired, he would have gone back to Lexus UK, and the wheels would have been replaced. An opinion; I was misinformed at the time of purchase--totally unacceptable, and unprofessional, customer service/relations.

This is still an ongoing, and unresolved issue.

[teejaybee]

I tried unsucessfully to get my wheels changed or some sort of token from Lexus UK on my 2007 and got a blunt no! You are very lucky!

[ColinBarber]

I bought my RX400h in July 2011; less than 3 years old. It was still under manufacturer's warranty. I pointed out the corrosion on the wheels. I was offered a refurb; could not wait 3-4 days--I did not have a car. Offered wheels from another RX400; accepted, although they were not as bad, but still minor corrosion.

The corrosion got worse. I asked another Lexus dealer what could be done. He approached Lexus UK; Lexus said they would replace 2 wheels--because I was the second owner and it was outside the 3-year manufacturer's warranty. I reapproached the dealer I bought it from; the manager stated that he could not approach Lexus UK at the time of purchase, as I had just bought the vehicle. But, had I asked about the wheels a little later, and before the manufacturer's warranty expired, he would have gone back to Lexus UK, and the wheels would have been replaced. An opinion; I was misinformed at the time of purchase--totally unacceptable, and unprofessional, customer service/relations.

This is still an ongoing, and unresolved issue.

I don't understand why the dealer didn't get the wheels replaced under warranty before it was put up for sale